Letter-box



2' Sheets-Sheet 1. G. C 0 G H A R.

(No Model.)

LETTER BOX.

No. 579,960. Patented Apr. 6, 1897.

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2 8haat|8heet 2. O. GOGHAR.

LETTER BOX.

(No Model.)

No. 579,960. Patented Apr. 6, 1897.

INVEN TUB Z/Z/M/ 5 WITNESSES l TTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES COCHAR, OF BROOKLYN, NEYV YORK.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,960, dated April 6, 1897.

Application filed March 19, 1 89 6.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES COCHAR, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to letter-boxes such as are usually employed at street-corners, hotels, and other places in which letters and other mail-matter are deposited; and the object of the invention is to provide a letterbox of this class which contains mechanism for stamping the time at which the letter or other article is deposited therein thereon, a further object being to provide a letter-box with mechanism for stamping the time, the location of the box, and the city or town in which it is placed upon the letter or other article when it is deposited therein; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved mail-box on the line was of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, showing an opening in the side of the box through which the time disk or wheel which I employ may be seen; Fig. 3, a plan view of the top or cover removed; Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts of the apparatus in the position which they assume when the letter is dropped into the box.

In the practice of my invention I provide a box or casing A, which is preferably rectangular in form, and at the bottom of which and in one side thereof is a door a, and the top thereof is provided with a hinged cover a Mounted transversely of the box or casing and near the top thereof is a shaft B, at one end of which is a ratchet-wheel b, and mounted on the opposite end thereof is a time-disk b and below the shaft B and in front thereof is a shaft D, on which is mounted a plate (1,

Serial No. 583,966. (No model.)

said plate being pivoted on said shaft and the greater portion thereof extending backwardly.

Pivotally supported in front of the casing opposite the shaft B is a door G, which is pivoted on a rod g, which is arranged at about the middle thereof, and the ends of the door are provided with inwardly-directed plates g the lower sides of which are provided with notches or recesses 9 which are adapted to rest upon tenons or projections d formed on the plate cl.

Above the shaft B and near the top of the box or casing is a shaft H, to one end of which is secured a spring arm h, which passes through a keeper 72 on one of the inwardlydirected plates or wings g of the door G, and secured about midway of the shaft H are two backwardly and downwardly directed springarms h the lower ends of which are connected with a plate 71 which is provided with an inking cushion or pad 7L5, and secured to the bottom of said plate 7L is a downwardly-directed board or plate 7L6.

Connected with the outer side of one of the backwardly-directed side plates g of the door G, with which the spring-rod h is connected, is a spring L, which is carried backwardly and secured to the back of the casing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and mounted centrally on the shaft B is a type-wheel M.

Secured to the inner side of the door a, which is adapted to swing outwardly, is a keeper 0, with which is pivotally connected a rod 0 the opposite end of which is connected with the rear end of a lever 0 the front end of which is pivotally connected with a rod 0 which extends upwardly and is pivotally connected with a dog P, which is pivotally supported at P and which is provided at the under side and at the rear corner thereof with two downwardly-directed teeth or projections R, which are adapted to operate in connection with the teeth of the ratchetwheel I).

The disk 17 which is mounted on the shaft 13 opposite the ratchet-wheel b, is provided on its outer surface and near the perimeter thereof with a circular row of numerals which represent the hours of the day, and inside thereof a corresponding circular row of letters which indicate the time, whether before or after the meridian, and formed in the side of the casing adjacent to the perimeter of the disk 19 is an opening S, through which these numerals and letters may be seen.

Extending downwardly on the inner side of the casing above the door G is a plate T, the lower end of which is inclined backwardly and terminates just above the pivoted plate d, and the operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the following statement thereof: lVhen it is desired to place a letter or other package in the box, the door G is pulled downwardly and outwardly, by means of the knob g and the letter is dropped on the inner side thereof. In this operation the inner end of the plate (1 drops downwardly onto a support d and the inking-pad 7L5 is thrown into contact with the type on the wheel M, this position of the parts being shown in Fig. at. The letter passes downwardly over the inner side of the door onto the plate cl, and when the knob g is released the springL immediately closes the door G, and this operation throws down the front end of the plate (I and raises the letter, which is deposited thereon, against the type on the wheel M, which are arranged to print the time, day of the month, and location of the box thereon, and when the door G is pulled downwardly and outwardly, as above described, and the inking-cushion h is forced forwardly by the spring 72, the downwardlydirected plate or board 72, strikes the inner lower edge of the plate (1 and retains the letter on said plate until the knob g of the door G is released and the spring L forces the parts into the position shown in Fig. 1, as herein described.

WVhen it is desired to remove the letters or other mail-matter from the box, the door Cb is opened, and in this operation the shaft B is revolved by the dog P through the agency of the rods 0 and O and the lever 0 and the time-disk b is revolved through one space, so as to indicate the next time at which the postman will call for the mail.

It will be understood that the type-wheel M is provided with suitable blocks of type for the purpose herein set out, and these type may be arranged in any desired manner, and they may be so arranged as to print only the time at Which the letter is placed in the box, or the time, day of the week, day of the month, and the location of box, as may be desired, and they are also so arranged as to correspond with the arrangement of the hours on the disk 5 This device is simple in construction and operation and perfectly adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and my invention is not limited to the exact form, construction, and arrangement of parts herein described, as it is evident that changes therein and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages, and I reserve the right to make all such alterations therein and modifications thereof as fairly come within the scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with a letter-box, of a door in one side and near the bottom thereof, another door in one side and near the top thereof, a shaft mounted in said box and provided with a type-wheel,another shaft mounted in said box and provided with an inkingcushion, a plate pivotally supported below said type-wheel, and adapted to be operated by one of the doors, in the side of the box, and means connected with the other door for operating the type-shaft, said parts being constructed, combined and arranged, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with a letter-box, of a door as G, pivotally supported transversely of one side and near the top thereof, said door being provided at its end with inwardly-directed plates, a plate pivotally supported in said box, below said side plates and adapted to be operated thereby, a shaft mounted in said box above the pivoted plate, and provided with a typewheel, a shaft above said type-wheel shaft and provided with springarms which carry an inking-cushion, and with another spring-arm which connects with one of the side plates of the door, said door being adapted to be swung outwardly, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with a letter-box, of a door as G, pivotally supported transversely of one side and near the top thereof, said door being provided at its end with inwardly-directed plates, a plate pivotally supported in said box, below said side plates and adapted to be operated thereby, a shaft mounted in said box above the pivoted plate, and provided with a type-wheel, a shaft above said type-wheel shaft provided with spring-arms which carry an inking-cushion, and with another spring-arm which connects with one of the side plates of the door, said door being adapted to be swung outwardly, and said box being also provided with another door, which is in operative connection with a dog which is adapted to operate a ratchet-wheel, connected with the shaft, on which the type-wheel is mounted, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with a letter-box, of a which said time-disk may be seen, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presr 5 ence of the subscribing witnesses, this 18th day of March, 1896.

CHARLES OOOHAR.

Witnesses:

O. GERsr, M. A. KNowLEs. 

